Burglary & Pawn

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Burglary & Pawn Detectives work diligently to recover items for victims of theft. Are you prepared to help detectives if you become the victim of theft?

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office sponsors RAPID, Regional Automated Property Information Database, an electronic database of pawn purchases for all law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County. According to Florida Statute, when pawn shops or second-hand dealers buy an item, they must get information about the seller such as contact information and fingerprints. This information is entered into RAPID, and the item is held per Florida Statute.

HomeWatch

One way to help safeguard your property is to take photos of your valuables including serial numbers or identifiable markings. You can store this information personally, or you can store the information in the HomeWatch system. By creating a private user account in HomeWatch, the information you enter will only be accessible to you and anyone you authorize as a viewer – such as law enforcement. To learn more about how you can register your personal property with HomeWatch, visit the website HERE.

Wherever you decide to save information about your valuables, make sure photos are up-to-date and easily accessible in the event you need to provide them to law enforcement to assist in recovering your belongings. Taking this precaution will give Burglary & Pawn Detectives the best possible chance of recovering your items.

How to Recover Stolen Property from a Pawn Shop FSS 359 or Second Hand Dealer FSS 538

Victims of theft who have identified stolen property at a pawn shop or second hand dealer have the following options regarding the return of the property after initiating a police report and the appropriate law enforcement agency places a Pawn "Hold" on that property (90 day expiration):

Purchase the property back for the amount the shop paid the seller (or)

Complete a Statement of Claim in Replevin with the Pinellas County Clerk of Court

How to initiate the civil process in Pinellas County - follow the guidelines found in FSS 539.001.15 / FSS 538.08

1) Notify the pawn broker or second hand dealer of your claim to the property via certified mail, return receipt requested or in person with signed receipt. Include a legible copy of the applicable police report.

2) If no resolution is made within ten (10) days after receipt of notice, you may petition the court for the return of the property.

E-mail addresses are public record under Florida Law and are not exempt from public-records requirements. If you do not want your e-mail address to be subject to being released pursuant to a public-records request do not send electronic mail to this entity.

Instead, contact this office by telephone or in writing, via the United States Postal Service.